New York: An internal US Army investigation has found a virtual collapse of the command structure in a prison outside Baghdad where American personnel are accused of committing acts of abuse and humiliation against Iraqi detainees, a media report has said.

Quoting a report on the probe, it said mid-level military intelligence officers were allowed to skirt the normal chain of command to issue questionable orders to enlisted personnel from the reserve military police unit handling guard duty there.

The Army has already begun one investigation into the abuse allegations. Major General George R Fay, the incoming deputy commander of Army intelligence, is examining the interrogation practices of military intelligence officers at all American-run prisons in Iraq and not just the Abu Ghraib prison, the 'The New York Times' said.

A second review was ordered Saturday by Lt Gen James R Helmly, head of the Army Reserve, to assess the training of all reservists, especially military police and intelligence officers, the soldiers most likely to handle prisoners.

Six members of an Army Reserve military police unit assigned to Abu Ghraib face charges of assault, cruelty, indecent acts and maltreatment of detainees.

Gary Myers, a lawyer for Staff Sgt Ivan L Frederick II, one of the enlisted men charged in the case, requested that the Army open a court of inquiry into the issue.

The widening prison-abuse scandal in Iraq holds the potential to damage efforts by American officials to meet a June 30 deadline to transfer limited self-rule to the Iraqis.